The car ride is short, and they park in a way-too-overpriced parking garage next to a hideously colored sedan.
The building itself is giant, at least 40 stories. It has huge floor-to-ceiling windows everywhere, and Jade notices a giant sign that reads S. Drew Records in a really big cursive script.
Oh.
OH.
Bee works at a record label.
Jade knows someone at a label.
By default, so does Tori.
Her stomach starts to do little flips and she walks in, heading straight for the desk.
"We're here for Bee." Jade says confidently.
"What's your name?"
Tori stands in the back, holding Blake's tiny hand as he wobbles and stands up.
"Jade West."
The secretary rolls her eyes. "Simone isn't taking any visitors today."
Just then, Bee walks out of elevator and behind her is-
Selena Rodriguez.
One of the biggest stars of this generation.
"Jade!" Bee calls, and the secretary's eyebrows furrow.
"You know this girl?"
"Of course. Come, follow me."
"Okay, um, Tori come on."
Tori scoops up her son and they're in the elevator.
"Um, you work at S. Drew Records?" Jade breaks the silence. The woman turns to her.
"Honey, I made S. Drew Records."
The woman's brown skin shines under the too-bright elevator light as a gleam appears in her eye. "I don't believe we've formally met. I'm Simone Drew Peters."
Tori's jaw drops. "Jade-"
Jade covers her mouth because she thinks she's gonna scream. "You founded one of the most successful record labels ever."
Simone smiles. "Yeah, I did, and the reason I gave you my business card is because I believe you have a future here. Not yet, but maybe in a year or so."
"Um, not to be rude Bee, but I'm really interested in theater and movies and acting. I do like singing though; I just don't think it'll be a career for me, more like a hobby."
There's the same gleam behind Simone's eyes. "I suspected as much." She turns to the other girl in the elevator, still grinning. "I hear Tori here can sing."
Tori nods furiously and blushes. Blake grins from her arms.
"And this must be your son, what's his name?"
"Blake." Tori chokes out, still blushing.
"Hiiiiiii." Comes the long trill from Blake and then he points to Jade. "Jay." Then he points to Tori. "Momma."
Tori claps and Simone similes at him. "How old is he?"
"Eight months."
"What an advanced vocabulary for that age! My sister didn't start talking until she was almost two!"
Tori grins.
The elevator's still moving.
"So, Tori sing something."
"Like, right now?"
"Yep."
Tori blushes furiously again. "Um. Okay, uh…"
She thinks for a moment before Jade whispers a song title in her ear.
Her eyes light up and she starts to belt out Good Life by OneRepublic. Blake squeals and Simone smiles. The genuine, proud smile you give someone when they've done something truly amazing.
"Well Tori, we're at my floor. Follow me. Jade, go down the hall and to your left you will find an agent that can put you in touch with a person that can get you some auditions."
Jade nods before giving Bee a hug and dashing down the hallway.
It's happening. It's really happening. She thinks, excitement racing through her veins.
She skids into an office that reads David E. White, Agent and she tells him that Simone sent her and he calls her for confirmation and she yells at him for not trusting people and then he makes a few more calls and now Jade has an appointment with her agent at Starbucks at seven tomorrow.
It just happened.
/
"So Tori, you have quite the extraordinary voice."
"Thank you so much…what should I call you?"
"Simone or Bee either is fine."
"Um, Bee, who are you exactly?"
The woman smiles. "Consider me your fairy godmother."
Tori furrows her eyebrows until she's handed a stack of papers.
"Read these quickly, come back on Wednesday, and maybe we'll have some signing to do."
Tori's jaw drops.
"Two conditions, Tori." The woman gives her a look. "One, you finish the year of college before you produce anything. Two, you don't change because of fame. You don't try to hide yourself. If the media asks you if you have a kid, you say yes. If they ask you how, you tell them how. If they ask you if you're gay, you tell the truth. Got it?"
Tori nods furiously again. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you."
Simone grins. "Read those over, and here's my number if you have any questions."
Tori smiles. "You have no idea how much this means to me." She says softly. "Thank you so much."
Simone gives her a hug and then the phone rings and it's time for Tori to go and she finds Jade outside with a few tears in her eyes and then they just hug for several minutes, baby included.
"Did that just happen?" Jade finally asks. "I mean, I just got an agent. And you…"
"Just got signed."
"OH MY GOD TORI THAT IS SO AMAZING!"
Tori nods and Blake smiles, feeding off their excitement. "Momma? Jay? Momma Jay?"
Jade's eyes widen and so do Tori's and they walk to the elevator, neither girl correcting him yet.
"No Blake, I'm your Momma. That's Jade."
"Jay Momma? Momma Jay?" he pauses for a second and glances between them. "Momma Jay Momma Jay Momma Jay!"